Intelligent quality of service for replication

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a method and information handling system (IHS) for estimating bandwidth and providing one or more Quality of Service (QoS) parameters between a first set of one or more storage devices and at least one other set of one or more storage devices. The method comprises the following, for a given set of the at least one other set of one or more storage devices. The method creates a given temporary volume associated with the given set. The method sends a given sequential workload of actual traffic between the first set and the given set. The method estimates, based upon the results of sending the given sequential workload of actual traffic, the one or more Quality of Service (QoS) parameters for the given set.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A computer-implemented method for estimating bandwidth and providing one or more Quality of Service (QoS) parameters between sets of one or more storage devices the method comprising:
 establishing a first connection between a first set of one or more storage devices of a storage area network (SAN) and a given set of storage devices external to the (SAN), and establishing a second connection between a second set of one or more storage devices of the storage area network (SAN) and the given set, the given set being formed of one or more storage devices external to the SAN, and the first and second sets of storage devices being different from each other; 
 creating a first temporary volume on the given set, and creating a second temporary volume on the given set; 
 sending across the established first connection a first sequential workload of actual traffic between the first set and the created first temporary volume on the given set, and sending across the established second connection a second sequential workload of actual traffic between the second set and the created second temporary volume on the given set; and 
 estimating, based upon results of the sending of the first sequential workload of actual traffic and the sending of the second sequential workload of actual traffic, one or more Quality of Service (QoS) parameters for the given set, 
 wherein the given set is among other sets of one or more storage devices, one of the other sets comprising at least a plurality of storage devices, and 
 the estimating including providing a first user-controlled bandwidth threshold of the estimated one or more QoS parameters for the given set, the first user-controlled bandwidth threshold being applied between the first set and the given set, and providing a second user-controlled bandwidth threshold of the estimated one or more QoS parameters for the given set, the second user-controlled bandwidth threshold being applied between the second set and the given set. 
 
     
     
       2. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 reporting the one or more QoS parameters to a user. 
 
     
     
       3. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 enabling the user to modify the one or more QoS parameters; and 
 controlling a first data flow between the first set and the given set, and controlling a second data flow between the second set and the given set, the first and second data flows being associated with the one or more QoS parameters. 
 
     
     
       4. The computer-implemented method of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 copying first data stored at the first set to the given set along the first data flow, and copying second data stored at the second set to the given set along the second data flow. 
 
     
     
       5. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the estimated one or more QoS parameters for the given set is different from one or more QoS parameters for at least one of the other sets of one or more storage devices. 
     
     
       6. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the actual traffic sent between the first set and the given set originates from the first set and the actual traffic sent between the second set and the given set originates from the second set. 
     
     
       7. An information handling system (IHS) comprising:
 at least one processor configured to implement: 
 a computing module configured to establish a first connection between a first set of one or more storage devices of a storage area network (SAN) and a given set of one or more storage devices, the computing module configured to establish a second connection between a second set of one or more storage devices of the storage area network (SAN) and the given set, and the given set being formed of one or more storage devices external to the SAN, and the first and second sets of storage devices being different from each other; 
 the computing module further configured to create a first temporary volume on the given set and to create a second temporary volume on the given set; 
 the computing module further configured to: (i) send across the established first connection a first sequential workload of actual traffic between the first set and the created first temporary volume on the given set, and to (ii) send across the established second connection a second sequential workload of actual traffic between the second set and the created second temporary volume on the given set; and 
 the computing module further configured to estimate, based upon results of the sending the first sequential workload of actual traffic and the sending of the second sequential workload of actual traffic, one or more Quality of Service (QoS) parameters for the given set, 
 wherein the given set is from among other sets of one or more storage devices, and one of the other sets comprises at least a plurality of storage devices, and 
 there being a first user-controlled bandwidth threshold of the estimated one or more QoS parameters for the given set, the first user-controlled bandwidth threshold being applied between the first set and the given set, there being a second user-controlled bandwidth threshold of the estimated one or more QoS parameters for the given set, the second user-controlled bandwidth threshold being applied between the second set and the given set. 
 
     
     
       8. The IHS of  claim 7 , further comprising a reporting module configured to report the one or more QoS parameters to a user. 
     
     
       9. The IHS of  claim 7 , further comprising a data module configured to enabling the user to modify the one or more QoS parameters, the data module further configured to control a first data flow between the first set and the given set, and controlling a second data flow between the second set and the given set, the first and second data flows being associated with the one or more QoS parameters. 
     
     
       10. The IHS of  claim 9 , wherein the data module is further configured to copy first given data stored at the first set to the given set along the first data flow, the data module being further configured to copy second given data stored at the second set to the given set along the second data flow. 
     
     
       11. The IHS of  claim 7 , wherein the estimated one or more QoS parameters for the given set is different from the one or more QoS parameters for at least one of the other sets of one or more storage devices. 
     
     
       12. The IHS of  claim 7 , wherein the actual traffic sent between the first set and the given set originates from the first set and the actual traffic sent between the second set and the given set originates from the second set. 
     
     
       13. A non-transitory computer readable medium having stored thereon a sequence of instructions which, when loaded and executed by a processor coupled to an apparatus, causes the apparatus to:
 establish a first connection between a first set of one or more storage devices of a storage area network (SAN) and a given set of one or more storage devices, the computing module configured to establish a second connection between a second set of one or more storage devices of the storage area network (SAN) and the given set, and the given set being formed of one or more storage devices external to the SAN, and the first and second sets of storage devices being different from each other; 
 create a first temporary volume on the given set and to create a second temporary volume on the given set; 
 (i) send across the established first connection a first sequential workload of actual traffic between the first set and the created first temporary volume on the given set, and to (ii) send across the established second connection a second sequential workload of actual traffic between the second set and the created second temporary volume on the given set; and 
 estimate, based upon results of the sending the first sequential workload of actual traffic and the sending of the second sequential workload of actual traffic, one or more Quality of Service (QoS) parameters for the given set, 
 wherein the given set is from among other sets of one or more storage devices, and one of the other sets comprises at least a plurality of storage devices, and 
 there being a first user-controlled bandwidth threshold of the estimated one or more QoS parameters for the given set, the first user-controlled bandwidth threshold being applied between the first set and the given set, there being a second user-controlled bandwidth threshold of the estimated one or more QoS parameters for the given set, the second user-controlled bandwidth threshold being applied between the second set and the given set. 
 
     
     
       14. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more Quality of Service (QoS) parameters include throughput and bandwidth. 
     
     
       15. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second user-controlled bandwidth thresholds are different from each other. 
     
     
       16. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , wherein the established connection includes an Internet Small Computer System (iSCSI) connection. 
     
     
       17. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 verifying the established connection based upon maximum transmission unit (MTU) path discovery. 
 
     
     
       18. The computer-implemented method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 automatically notifying a failure of the established connection to a user.